We All Secretly Want to be Rock Stars, Right?

I'm a pretty classic girl. I'm nuts about items with staying power and femininity. There's also a side of me that loves to add a kiss of Edge here and there. I know I'm not alone! In the spirit of embracing a little Rocker Chic, here are some fantastic finds from the magical world of Etsy that'll help any lady tap into her inner Rock and Roll siren. Cue the pyrotechnics!

Romantic Floral Crown with Gothic Black Roses by Paramount Vintage

Could you just die?? This gorgeous black rose statement headband channels Florence Welch, and has a bit of femininity without being too sweet. The black color and size of the roses brings it out of sweet and into bold, Goth glamour. After all, a Rock Goddess isn't sweet, is she? This swoon-worthy goody is brought to you by the San Diego-based Paramount Vintage, a beautifully curated and designed collection of Vintage and handmade clothing and accessories. Luckily for you, the floral headbands are handmade, so pay a visit to Paramount Vintage and order one to grace your locks. Onstage with a mic, or in your bathroom with a hairbrush, you'll be convinced of your star power!

Gold Tipped Black Leather Feather Necklace by Love at First Blush

Leather feathers? Yes, please! I love an interesting use of leather. Love at First Blush's black leather necklace really gets the blending of girly glitter and badass just right. Hand cut from Italian lambskin, and adorned on one side with gold foil, how can you not want one of these gracing your neck? This Canadian designer has an amazing collection of feather and leather offerings (with a bit of gold, of course!) that will have you saying, "Mine, mine, MINE!" Seriously. Take a virtual stroll through Love at First Blush's shop. You'll fall in leather feather love too!

Hand-patinaed Black Textured Brass Triangle Earrings by Balanced

Balanced is one of my favorite Etsy shops, because the collection has a clean roughness to it. Sounds a bit contradictory, but one look at this jewelry line and you'll get it. Sharp, smooth shapes and lines, roughened up a bit with interesting applications of patina give a deliciously distressed look to the pieces. These brass triangle earrings with "scratched" patina treatment and lacquer seal are wickedly sleek and stylish. And this Dublin-based (by way of Northern California) designer ships internationally, so not even The Big Pond can come between you and your little slice of Rocker Heaven. You're welcome!

Recycled Marilyn Mansion CD Necklace by PYRocks

Here's a recipe for you:
Take a Rock and Roll scholar who's spent years in the high end jewelry market,  mix in a jaw-dropping personal collection of chunky/sparkly/dramatic jewelry, add a love for making music into wearable art, shake well... and you get PYRocks. This line of recycled CD jewelry isn't just super cool--it's made with a strong focus on quality and detail. The CD's are cut with precision, sandwiched between two layers of plexi, and hand-riveted together with nickel wire. All of these CD-to-necklace creations are suspended from stainless steel chains. In addition to what's in the shop, PYRocks will custom make a necklace from any CD you desire! Simply send in that CD you played for a year straight (you know you did!) and it will return to you as a wearable symbol of groupie devotion to your favorite band. So pull out that box of old CD's from your closet and take a peek at the PYRocks shop!

Italian Red Ruffle Stilettos 5x7 Fine Art Print by Captain Cat

A wickedly red pair of stilettos? Mounted and framed on your wall? Total Rocker Chic. Captain Cat Collective has a cornucopia of cool art, fashion and collectibles in their shop. The Dynamic Duo of Oregon-born artist/designer Zelda English and Portuguese painter/musician Rodrigo Neto are the creative engine behind this stylishly quirky collection. Their objective? "The invigorating pursuit to piece together a world scape of absolutely delicious proportions." I'm sold! Wander through their world and find designer shoes, original paintings and photo prints, vintage home decor, terrariums--it pleasantly boggles the mind. Check out their shop. You'll want to stay awhile!

Victorian Style Black Sheer Blouse with Lace Trimming by Dark Margot

When you go to Dark Margot's shop, she asks you to reveal your dark side. And her collection of leather, plaid and lace fashions will make you want to do just that. There's a great rocker feel to all her made-to-order clothes, combined with sexy, ladylike silhouettes and materials. This black sheer blouse with lace trimming at the front and shoulders has a romantic feel and design, yet the sheer fabric and metal flower buttons add a not-your-Grandmother's-blouse attitude. And it's versatile enough to go from daytime to nightlife--what every Rock and Roll woman needs! Visit the shop and see what beckons to your dark side!

If you're liking what you see here, check out other great Rocker Chic finds here. What's your favorite piece?

Fave of the Week: Carolina Benoit

It's been awhile since I've posted a fave (shame on me!), but I'm back on track! Today, I came across a fabulous women's clothing shop during one of my romps on Etsy.

Carolina Benoit is a Parsons grad, living and working in sizzling Miami. She designs and produces her collection in her studio/boutique, and carries the work of up and coming designers. Carolina has a knack for marrying feminine and edgy that garners instant fashion lust. And her well-placed punches of color give a nod to her home city. A perfect example: This lovely silk tulle bolero paired with a sassy purple sequined pencil skirt.

This ivory French lace blouse with rich red silk trim is both girly and bold. Perfect for a dressy skirt or your favorite pair of jeans. Can you say, "LOVE"?

Carolina's accessories are equally fun and sophisticated. One of my faves is this black sequined bow tie necklace. So simple, yet it packs a bold punch.

Now that you've had a taste, do check out Carolina Benoit's Etsy shop and her blog for the latest updates on her collection. You'll fall in love too!

Oscar's Post Mortem: Glamming it Up on the Red Carpet

I sort of love and hate the Academy Awards. While I bemoan the sometimes ridiculously long song and dance numbers, and the self-important emoting on the part of Hollywood's A-listers, I unabashedly LOVE the fashion buffet it offers! In anticipation of the big night, I created an Etsy treasury that captured Hollywood glamour. What bigger night is there for celeb gawking and couture gown coveting?

Emma Stone's red Giambattista Valli gown with that dramatic "go big or go home" red bow has to be my favorite look of the night. It's classy, sexy, young--the whole package!

Michelle Williams was darling in her red Louis Vuitton strapless tiered ruffle gown with peplum detail. The pixie cut she's been sporting for the last couple of years channels a young Mia Farrow. Beautiful!

A lot of the jewelry on the red carpet was simple and  less chunky, allowing the dresses and the wearers' faces to own the spotlight. Milla Jovovich, in her one-shouldered, beaded Elie Saab gown is a great example. Her bare neck and Marcel waves were a nod to starlets of yesteryear. The fabulous clutch and cocktail ring were swoon-worthy, indeed.

And then there's Ms. Portman. She is hands down one of my favorite actresses. With her timeless beauty, she'd make a potato sack look good! Her red Dior gown was stunning, without being over the top. The dotted fabric added lovely texture, and her high-sparkle jewels were elegant with a simple design.

Gwyneth's Tom Ford dress and cape were the talk of the town, and with good reason. So sleek and sophisticated! The cut of that cape was amazing. Another bare neck with a bold, modern cuff bracelet and a simple ponytail capped off the look nicely. Well done, Goop (a ridiculous nickname, to be sure, but that's a rant for another day)!

Working the peplum trend beautifully: the lovely Tina Fey, ladies and gents! This sexy navy number by Carolina Herrera was a fabulous choice for the 30 Rock star. Her up-do with chandelier earrings were the perfect companions to the look.

There was a plethora of fantastic frocks last night, but these were the ones that stood out for me. What were your faves?

It's Mardi Gras, baby!

 As I sit in the Hudson Valley in the middle of (albeit relatively mild) winter, I'm longing for 70-degree weather of New Orleans. Aside from NYC, it's  my favorite city. The warmth, the fascinating mix of cultures, the music, the food... So much to love in NOLA!

In that good ole Bon Temps spirit, I'm offering free shipping on the fleur de lis items in my Etsy shop this week. Bring on the beads!

Bring on the Sparkle: It's Awards Season!

I love watching the big awards shows and checking out who's wearing what on the red carpet. You'll find celebs wearing everything from the sublime to the bizarre. And the jewels, oh the jewels! I am a lover of all things glam.To keep the sparkle love going, I've made and procured lovely items for the Accessory Showcase collection that are red carpet (or at least Oscar party) ready. Here's a look at all that glitters in my collection!

Accessory Showcase tear drop earrings with black crystals

Accessory Showcase gunmetal "chain mail" stretch beaded bracelets

Salty Teacup black hoops with crystals in shades of pink

Salty Teacup assorted ornate filigree and colored stone bracelets

You Can Always Go... Downtown

So for some reason or other, I could not get Petula Clark's song "Downtown" out of my head. Maybe it was because I miss NYC so much. Maybe I'm jonesing for a little spring inspiration for the Showcase collection--who knows? Either way, it inspired me to make this little Etsy treasury. Here are some of the stars of the treasury for your enjoyment. Forget all your cares and go Downtown!

Yellow retro dress by GoGo Vintage

Vintage yellow purse by Michelle's Closet

Green and turquoise trench by De Novo Style

Faves of the Week

As usual, the weekend wasn't long enough, and another week is underway. *Sigh* But luckily, I've found some fabulous goodies that will kick that case of the Mondays to the curb! Check out these finds from fellow Etsians  The Crown Jewels Goddess and Maejean Vintage.

The Crown Jewels Goddess
The Crown Jewels Goddess is the brainchild of Vivian, who's been a craft and jewelry enthusiast since she was a child. Her mother introduced her to sewing and knitting, and over the years Vivian discovered her love of making jewelry, and never turned back. Swarovski crystals, gemstones and sterling silver are the materials of choice for most of  the collection.

This jasper bead and crystal bracelet is a stunner. The clustering of the beads and crystals create a darkly decadent adornment for the wrist. Love this bracelet as much as I do? Pay homage to the Goddess at her Etsy shop to find this and more!

Maejean Vintage
The self-proclaimed duo of thrifty sisters who created Maejean Vintage share a passion for procuring fantastic vintage finds and bringing them to you and me at affordable prices. One sister was a full time teacher, who saw losing her position due to budget cuts last year not as the end of the road, but as an opportunity to follow her dream and turn what was a hobby into a full time business. The other half of this duo is a business and marketing student, who helps run Maejean Vintage in addition to pursuing her studies.

What these two ladies bring to the table is an eye for the atypical and the luxurious. Offering everything from vintage clothing to jewelry and knickknacks, what these savvy sisters display in their shop has less of a dusty attic feel, and more of a high end boutique sensibility. Seriously--who wouldn't want one of these lovely pins? Pay a visit to their Etsy shop, and you'll see why they achieve the perfect blend of kitsch and sass. The ladies of Maejean Vintage can clearly spot the gems from the junk!

Spread the Red: Treasury for Go Red for Women

Hello all!
Hope you're spreading the good word about Go Red for Women Day by posting Go Red's Facebook link to your social networking sites--Tweet it, Facebook it, Blog it! And while you're at it, "share" your posts on the Accessory Showcase Facebook page for your shot at winning a piece from the collection!

Here are highlights from my latest Etsy treasury, in honor of this awesome organization. A big heartfelt shout-out to DMPics, Topsy Turvy Design, and Black White Pink for being my inspirations for this fun treasury! <3 <3 <3

Groove is in the Heart

Last night, while completing a custom pair of earrings for a friend, Dee-Lite's "Groove is in the Heart" inexplicably came into my head and wouldn't leave! Love the song, so it naturally (at least for an Etsy junkie like me) inspired me to create a Mod/retro treasury. This treasury was a blast to make. Here are a couple of highlights.

Red Mod dress by Honey Bunny Vintage

Mod Psychedelic feather and crystal eyelashes by Moonshine Baby

Find the video on YouTube, flip through my treasury and shake what your Mama gave you!

Little Darlings: Some of My Etsy Faves

If you're like me, a "quick" peek on Etsy can easily turn into hours of ooh-ing and aah-ing. Every click just leads you further down the goodie-filled rabbit hole. Since joining Etsy, I've come across some wonderful designers and artisans creating items that make me want to reach through my computer screen screaming, "Mine, MINE!". Here's a sampling of the lovely offerings available from some of my favorite shops.

Made by Moe
This designer collects and assembles vintage components to create new and delightful jewelry. Moe has a keen eye for color and stone combinations. There are cabochons in colors so soft and rich, they look like frosting flowers.

Some pieces in the collection play with the juxtaposition of hard and feminine, like this grey agate and pink rose necklace. This piece showcases Moe's talent for creating good composition and balance in a piece of jewelry. It's one of the things that repeatedly draw me to her shop.

When I look through Made by Moe's collection, it evokes afternoon tea in a sunlit parlor--so many delectable things to see and sample!

Janine Basil
Embrace your inner superhero with this awesome collection of retro/comic-inspired accessories! Janine's handmade designs have an amazing blend of kitsch, sparkle and originality. The girl who sports these looks can't be viewed as anything other than fun and bold.

Janine is a London-based designer, who describes her lovely wares as "retro geek style, with a twist of glamor and glitz". Her Day-Glo color palette packs a superhero-size punch with rich reds, blues and yellows. There are plenty of sweet and sassy options for the extroverted party girl and the quietly confident retro fashion lover. As for sparkle, this collection has it in spades!

That rhinestone pillbox hat is pure glam, and I love it! You've got to take a virtual stroll through Janine Basil's shop, and you're bound to fall in love too. You can look out for new additions on her Facebook page. And the best part: she ships internationally, so you can have your very own Janine Basil design come to you from across the pond!